Galatians 2:12

Galatians 2:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
• New International Version (NIV)For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.
• New King James Version (NKJV)for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

Context of Galatians 2:12

10The only thing they asked us to do was to remember the poor, the very thing which I was eager to do. 11When Cephas came to Antioch, I had to openly oppose him because he was completely wrong. He ate with people who were not Jewish until some men James had sent ⌞from Jerusalem⌟ arrived. Then Cephas drew back and would not associate with people who were not Jewish. He was afraid of those who insisted that circumcision was necessary. 13The other Jewish Christians also joined him in this hypocrisy. Even Barnabas was swept along with them. 14But I saw that they were not properly following the truth of the Good News. So I told Cephas in front of everyone, “You’re Jewish, but you live like a person who is not Jewish. So how can you insist that people who are not Jewish must live like Jews?”

Galatians 2:12 word by word

πρὸ τοῦ γὰρ ἐλθεῖν τινας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβου μετὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν συνήσθιεν· ὅτε δὲ ἦλθον, ὑπέστελλεν καὶ ἀφώριζεν ἑαυτὸν φοβούμενος τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253
• thatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• certainτιςtis · oneG5100
• cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• JamesἸάκωβοςIakōbos · JamesG2385
• he did eatσυνεσθίωsunesthiō · to eat withG4906
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• the Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• butδέde · thenG1161
• whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
• he withdrewὑποστέλλωhupostellō · to withdrawG5288
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• separatedἀφορίζωaphorizō · to separateG873
• himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• fearingφοβέωphobeō · to fearG5399
• were ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061

Cross-references for Galatians 2:12

• Galatians 2:9James, Cephas, and John (who were recognized as the most important people) acknowledged that God had given me this special gift. So they shook hands with Barnabas and me, agreeing to be our partners. It was understood that we would work among the people who are not Jewish and they would work among Jewish people.
• Acts 21:18The next day Paul went with us to visit James. All the spiritual leaders were present.
• Acts 10:28He said to them, “You understand how wrong it is for a Jewish man to associate or visit with anyone of another race. But God has shown me that I should no longer call anyone impure or unclean.
• Acts 11:3They said, “You went to visit men who were uncircumcised, and you even ate with them.”
• Ephesians 2:15He brought an end to the commandments and demands found in Moses’ Teachings so that he could take Jewish and non-Jewish people and create one new humanity in himself. So he made peace.
• Ephesians 3:6This mystery is the Good News that people who are not Jewish have the same inheritance as Jewish people do. They belong to the same body and share the same promise that God made in Christ Jesus.
• Isaiah 65:5They said, “Stay away! Don’t touch me! I’m holier than you are.” They have become like smoke in my nose, like a smoldering fire all day long.
• Luke 15:2But the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings complained, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22Keep away from every kind of evil.
• Proverbs 29:25A person’s fear sets a trap ⌞for him⌟, but one who trusts the Lord is safe.
• Isaiah 57:11Whom did you dread and fear so much that you lied to me? You haven’t remembered me or cared about me. I’ve been silent for a long time. Is that why you don’t fear me?
• Matthew 26:69Peter was sitting in the courtyard. A female servant came to him and said, “You, too, were with Jesus the Galilean.”

Commentaries on Galatians 2:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles - Here was Peter's fault. He was convinced that God had pulled down the middle wall of partition that had so long separated the Jews and Gentiles, and he acted on this conviction, associating with the latter and eating with them; but when certain Jews came from James, who it appears considered the law still to be in force, lest he should place a stumbling-block before them he withdrew from…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For before that certain came - Some of the Jews who had been converted to Christianity. They evidently observed in the strictest manner the rites of the Jewish religion. Came from James - See the note at Galatians 1:19. Whether they were sent by James, or whether they came of their own accord, is unknown. It is evident only that they had been intimate with James at Jerusalem, and they doubtless pleaded his authority. James had nothing to do with the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-14Verses 11-14 Notwithstanding Peter's character, yet, when Paul saw him acting so as to hurt the truth of the gospel and the peace of the church, he was not afraid to reprove him. When he saw that Peter and the others did not live up to that principle which the gospel taught, and which they professed, namely, That by the death of Christ the partition wall between Jew and Gentile was taken down, and the observance of the law of Moses was no longer in force…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Peter ate with the non-Jewish believers because God had shown him it was right (Acts 10:9–16, 34–35). James's friends wanted to stop Jewish and non-Jewish believers from eating and meeting together freely. These people insisted that everyone should follow strict Jewish religious customs. They tried to force non-Jewish believers to follow Jewish rules about food and religious practices. he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. certain--men: perhaps James' view (in which he was not infallible, any more than Peter) was that the Jewish converts were still to observe Jewish ordinances, from which he had decided with the council the Gentiles should be free (Ac 15:19). Neander, however, may be right in thinking these self-styled delegates from James were not really from him. Ac 15:24 favors this. "Certain from James," may mean merely that they came from the Church at Jerusalem…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 2:12

• Antioch
• Cowardice
• Hypocrisy
• James
• Opinion, Public

In the dictionaries

• Add
• Antioch
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• Bondage
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Commentaries on Galatians 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings